


Mistletoe Kiss

by slytheringurrl



Series: trope_bingo 2013 Entries [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-25
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2017-12-09 08:56:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/772375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytheringurrl/pseuds/slytheringurrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>New Year's Eve has dawned upon the Avengers again.  Tony reminisces about their first New Year's party together, and about a certain bet he had made with Bruce that involved the assassins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mistletoe Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> This story is for my mistletoe kiss card for [trope_bingo](http://trope-bingo.dreamwidth.org) over at Dreamwidth.

"I really hate parties," Clint Barton groaned.

"Stop complaining," said Tony Stark, feeling very much in his element at his own party, "it's New Year's Eve. Cheer up!"

Clint just shrugged, "I never really celebrated the holiday.  This is very different from my usual New Year's."

"But we've been having a New Year's party at the tower for years now," Tony said, frowning, "and, you've been in attendance every year."

"Parties are just not my cup of tea," said Clint firmly.

"Hey, Pepper," Tony called as he saw his girlfriend walking towards them.

"Hey, you guys," she greeted them with a warm smile.

"Hey," said Clint, reaching over to give her a hug. "How are you?

"I'm good. What about you?"

"Pretty good." Clint looked around.

Tony snorted, "Legolas is moping because Spidey isn't here."

"No, I'm not," Clint said, "I can survive just fine without her.”

"Of course you can," said Tony sarcastically.

"Whatever" groaned Clint as he left Tony and Pepper. 

After five minutes of aimlessly wandering around the banquet hall, he found himself near the open bar.

He clutched a glass of single malt whiskey, his head bent down. He hated socializing and half the time he only showed up because Natasha would force him into coming. <i>If only she was here....</i>

He felt a pair of arms wrapping around his neck, and he snapped around, attempting to grab the person. 

 When he saw that it was only Natasha, he visibly relaxed.  “Hey!” he exclaimed, “you startled me.”

“Sorry,” Natasha said, not sounding sorry at all, “it’s just a lot of fun to sneak up on you. You scare easily.” 

He smiled, “You’re like this, too.  Anyway, I thought you wouldn’t be back until later.”

“I wrapped up the mission early and came here,” she replied, and motioned to the glass in his hand, “Why are you already drinking?  Isn’t it a bit early?”

Clint shrugged, “It’s really never too early to drink at a party that Stark is hosting.”

Natasha nodded, “I guess you have a point.”

They both sat silently, taking in each other’s presence.  From the corner of his eye, Clint could see Tony waving crazily at them. 

“Hey,” he nudged Natasha, “Stark seems excited that you’re here.”

Tony walked over to them, “Hey Natasha, I’m thrilled that you could make it!”

The redhead frowned, “Okay, what do you want? You never are _just_ happy to see me.”

Tony threw his hands up in the air, “You got me,” he sighed, “I’m glad that you are here because Robin Hood has been moping around here without you.  He was wrecking the atmosphere.”

Clint rolled his eyes, and laughed.  “Remember the first New Year’s here?”

“Yes, that was quite a night,” said Tony, gazing off into space.

 

* * *

 

_Tony glanced around the room, nodding to himself_.  I am so amazing, _he thought to himself as he spotted the mistletoe that he had put up himself in some very strategic places.  If his plan for tonight didn’t succeed, he would owe Bruce fifty dollars, and he hated losing bets_

_“Spidey, hey! You made it!” Tony cried when he spotted Natasha walking out of the elevator._

_“Yep.  Here I am.” she responded.  “Did you think I wasn’t going to show up?”_

_“Uh…maybe?” he replied hesitantly, “So, are you excited?”_

_Natasha raised an eyebrow, “Not really.  It’s just any old day.”_

_He threw his hands up in the air, and exclaimed, “But it is_ not _any old party, Nat!  It’s our first New Year together as the Avengers.”_

_“First off,” Natasha snapped, “don’t call me Nat.  And, I guess you are right.”_

_Tony waved over Bruce and Steve, who had also walked in.  “Hey guys,” he called cheerily._

_They both nodded hello, also not looking very enthusiastic about attending the soiree._

_“Where’s Barton,” asked Bruce, noticing their missing comrade._

_Natasha pointed over to the bar in the corner of the large room, “He’s getting a head start on his hangover tomorrow.”_

_“It sure looks like that,” said Steve.  “Sometimes, I miss being able to get drunk.”_

_Bruce shrugged, “It gets old after a while.  You’re really not missing much.”_

_“Alright guys, it was great talking to you, but I need a drink now,” said Natasha, turning to walk over to Clint._

_After Natasha was far enough from them to not overhear what he said, Tony pumped his fist in the air, grinning.  “Everything is going according to plan.”_

 

* * *

  
_"Getting a head start?” asked Natasha as she slipped onto the stool beside Clint’s._

_"I guess,” said Clint as he stared into his glass.  “I just don’t feel like myself, Tasha.”_

_"What do you mean?”_

_He frowned, “I can’t get over how easily Loki took over my mind.”_

_Natasha nodded. "I understand.   If someone had taken over my mind, I think I’d be a broken mess right now."_

_“It’s not that.” Clint said, breathing in deeply, “I’m just so pissed off at myself that I_ let _him control me.” His voice took on a softer tone as he continued, “I’m so confused.  I don’t know how I should feel right now.”_

_“Clint, it’s alright to feel confused.” Natasha consoled, as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Feel happy that you are here today, alive and healthy.”_

_“You’re right,” he agreed.  “I need to move on.”_

_“Just remember though, I’ll always be here for you,” she said with a grin.  “I, as your partner, will always be near you to save your ass.”_

_Thanks, Nat,” Clint said, smiling slightly.  He pointed to a spot on the celling, and Natasha also tilted her head up to see what he was pointing at._

_“Its mistletoe,” she pointed out unnecessarily._

_Clint nodded, “So, are you going to kiss me now?”_

_Natasha smiled as she wrapped her arms around Clint’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss._

_While Clint and Natasha were wrapped up in their own little world, Tony was already attempting to collect his money._

_“Come on,” he grouched, “they kissed, so I get the money.”_

_Bruce shook his head, “Tony, you placed the mistletoe there.  This was fixed.”_

_“Nah,” Tony argued, waving his hand, “they’ve been dating for a few months.  They would have kissed without the mistletoe.  I just moved things along.”_

_With a groan, Bruce slapped a crumpled fifty dollar note into Tony’s outstretched palm, “Here, are you happy now?”_

_Tony replied with a grin, “I am always very happy to take your money.”_

 

* * *

 

Natasha snapped her fingers in front of Tony’s face, and he looked at her, surprised.  “What?” he asked shakily. 

“You dazed off,” she told him.

“I was thinking about that time where I got fifty dollars from Bruce because you guys kissed,” he informed Clint and Natasha. 

“When did that happen?” Clint asked curiously.

“Oh, it was when I stuck a piece of mistletoe above the seat where Clint sat the first time we hosted the New Year’s party here….”

 

 

 


End file.
